The Black Moth: A Romance of the XVIIIth Century Read online

  CHAPTER XVII

  LADY O'HARA WINS HER POINT

  Lady O'Hara looked across at her sleeping husband with no littleseverity in her glance. He was stretched in a chair beneath a giant oak,and she was busied with some needlework a few paces from him. O'Hara'seyes were shut and his mouth open. My lady frowned and coughed. Sherasped her throat quite considerably, but it was not without effect; herspouse shut his mouth and opened one lazy eyelid. Immediately my ladyassumed an air of gentle mournfulness, and the eye regarding hertwinkled a little, threatening to close. Molly looked reproachful, andbegan to speak in an aggrieved tone:

  "Indeed, and I do not think it at all kind in you to go to sleep when Iwant to talk, sir."

  O'Hara hastily opened the other eye.

  "Why, my love, I was not asleep! I was--er--thinking!"

  "Do you say so, sir? And do you usually think with your mouthopen--_snoring_?"

  O'Hara started up.

  "I'll swear I did not snore!" he cried. "Molly, 'tis a wicked tease yeare!"

  "Miles, 'tis a big baby you are!" she mimicked. "There is a caterpillaron your wig, and 'tis on crooked."

  "The caterpillar?" asked O'Hara, bewildered.

  "No, stupid, the wig. I had best straighten it for you, I suppose." Sherose and stooped over him, settling the wig and removing the caterpillarby means of two leaves, judiciously wielded. Then she dropped a kiss onher husband's brow and sat down at his feet.

  "First, you have never asked me where I was gone to all yesterdayafternoon."

  O'Hara had been carefully broken in, and he now knew what was expectedof him, and put on an expression of great interest.

  "Where _did_ ye go, my lady?"

  "I went to call on Miss Beauleigh and her niece, sir!"

  She looked up at him triumphantly and a little challengingly.

  "The devil ye did!"

  "Certainly, sir. I knew that there was something in the air, and Iremembered your letter to me saying that Jack was in love with Diana. SoI thought I would go and see her for myself."

  Miles looked down at her half indulgently, half vexedly.

  "Did you, puss?"

  "I did. And I found that she was in love with him as well as he withher--of course."

  "Of course?"

  "Who could help falling in love with him? He's so monstrous captivating,I would like to marry him myself."

  She bent her head to hide the roguish smile that had sprung to her lips.

  "I beg your pardon?" asked O'Hara, startled.

  My lady traced patterns on his knee.

  "Provided, of course, that I had not already married you, Miles."

  But O'Hara had seen the smile. He heaved a great sigh, and said inlugubrious tones:

  "There is always the river, madam."

  My lady's finger wavered and stopped, and her hand tucked itself awayinto his.

  "That is not a nice joke, Miles."

  He laughed, and tweaked one of her curls.

  "Sure, and did ye not ask for it, asthore?"

  "Of course I did not. But about Jack, dear--"

  "I thought it _was_ about Jack?"

  "Miles, will you be quiet and attend?"

  "Yes, m'dear."

  "Very well, then. As I have told you, I drove over to Littledeanyesterday afternoon, and made the acquaintance of the Miss Beauleighs."

  "And what did ye think of them?"

  "I thought Diana was wonderfully beautiful--such eyes, Miles!--and suchhair! Miss Beauleigh is very amiable, and so droll! I drank a dish oftay with them, and I spoke of Jack--"

  "Madcap, never tell me ye called him Carstares?"

  "No, you great gaby! Of course I did not. As it chanced, Miss Beauleighmentioned him first, and she called him Mr. Carr. So I did, too. And Inoticed that Diana said scarce a word about him, and when she did 'twasof the coolest. That, of course, made me all the more certain that sheloved him."

  O'Hara was plainly puzzled.

  "But why should you be certain if she did not speak of him, alanna?"

  "'Tis what you'll never understand, my dear, because you are but a man.But no matter--I knew. I quite adored Diana, and determined to talk toher alone. So I admired the roses, and she offered to escort me roundthe garden, which was what I wanted. We went out together. I think Dianamust have liked me, for--"

  "Nonsense!"

  "Be quiet, Miles!--for she dropped her ice and became quite friendly.And I talked a lot."

  She was aware of a convulsive movement above her, and a suppressedcough. She raised inquiring eyebrows.

  "Well, sir?"

  "Nothing, asthore--nothing. Go on with the tale--you were saying--"

  "That I talked a lot." She paused, and her eyes dared him; then shedimpled and dropped her lashes over them. "I shan't tell you all Isaid--"

  A relieved sigh interrupted her.

  "And if you continue to behave in this disagreeable fashion I shall notsay another word about anything!"

  Having satisfied herself that he was not going to venture a retort, shecontinued:

  "We had a long chat, and I gathered, from all she said and left unsaid,that Jack, for some foolish reason, will not ask her to marry him."

  "Foolish reason, asthore?" he interrupted.

  "Oh, I know you consider it a remarkable fine reason, but I tell you,'tis rank cruelty to that poor child. As if she cared about highwaymen!"

  "'Twas not so much that, I take it, as--"

  "Yes, but he could tell her he was innocent--oh, Miles, do not look soprovoking! Of course he could! I vow if you had treated me so, I wouldnever have let you go until you had truly repented! I am of a mind tospeak to Jack."

  "'Twould be an entertaining sight, but ye'll kindly have a care how youtouch him, my lady."

  "He does not understand. I _know_ she would be proud to marry him--"

  "And ye'd think it a fine thing in Jack to ask her, the way things arewith him at present?"

  "I--oh, I don't know!"

  "No, me love. Jack is right: he must first clear his name."

  "Then, gracious goodness me, why does he not?" cried Molly, exasperated.

  This time it was O'Hara's turn to look superior.

  "Well, alanna, that's a question ye cannot hope to understand--becauseye are but a woman."

  Lady O'Hara ignored the challenge.

  "But what is to be done?"

  "Nought. He will have to work it out himself. He bound me to secrecysome time ago, or I would be tempted to speak to Richard."

  "I quite _hate_ Richard!" she cried. "He must be a selfish, unkindperson. And now Jack swears he must go away almost at once--and, oh! youshould have seen Diana's face of despair when I mentioned that he wasgoing abroad again. Miles, we must keep him here as long as ever we can!Oh, dear! 'tis all very worrying."

  She broke off as O'Hara pressed her hand warningly. My lord was comingacross the lawn towards them.

  "I am in dire disgrace," he said. "I was left with your ferocious baby,Molly, and to quiet him, I gave him a string of beads that you had lefton the table."

  "My precious Indian wooden beads!"

  "Yes--I believe so. Anyway, the paint came off, and when Jane returned,David looked as though he had some horrible disease. She was mostannoyed about it." He sat down in Molly's lately vacated chair, andcarefully wiped a daub of green from his forefinger.

  Molly laughed.

  "Poor Jane! She will have such a task to clean him. But you've arrivedmost opportunely. We were talking of you."

  O'Hara groaned inwardly, and tried to frown her down.

  "You were? I am flattered! May I ask what you were saying?"

  "Why, that we do not want you to go back to France."

  O'Hara breathed again.

  "That is very kind of you, my lady. I regret the necessity myself."

  "Are you sure it is necessary? You might just as well live in a niceplace near here, with a dear old woman to keep house for you--and--andJim--and--lots of pleasant things."

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